Talk:Shakespearean Echo Chamber/@comment-24986349-20140624145508
Messenger Most gracious majesty,-- CLEOPATRA Didst thou behold Octavia? Messenger Ay, dread queen. CLEOPATRA Where? Messenger Madam, in Rome; I look'd her in the face, and saw her led Between her brother and Mark Antony. CLEOPATRA Is she as tall as me? Messenger She is not, madam. CLEOPATRA Didst hear her speak? is she shrill-tongued or low? Messenger Madam, I heard her speak; she is low-voiced. CLEOPATRA That's not so good: he cannot like her long. CHARMIAN Like her! O Isis! 'tis impossible. CLEOPATRA I think so, Charmian: dull of tongue, and dwarfish! What majesty is in her gait? Remember, If e'er thou look'dst on majesty. Messenger She creeps: Her motion and her station are as one; She shows a body rather than a life, A statue than a breather. CLEOPATRA Is this certain? Messenger Or I have no observance. CHARMIAN Three in Egypt Cannot make better note. CLEOPATRA He's very knowing; I do perceive't: there's nothing in her yet: The fellow has good judgment. CHARMIAN Excellent. CLEOPATRA Guess at her years, I prithee. Messenger Madam, She was a widow,-- CLEOPATRA Widow! Charmian, hark. Messenger And I do think she's thirty. CLEOPATRA Bear'st thou her face in mind? is't long or round? Messenger Round even to faultiness. CLEOPATRA For the most part, too, they are foolish that are so. Her hair, what colour? Messenger Brown, madam: and her forehead As low as she would wish it. CLEOPATRA There's gold for thee. Thou must not take my former sharpness ill: I will employ thee back again; I find thee Most fit for business: go make thee ready; Our letters are prepared. Exit Messenger CHARMIAN A proper man. CLEOPATRA Indeed, he is so: I repent me much That so I harried him. Why, methinks, by him, This creature's no such thing. CHARMIAN Nothing, madam. CLEOPATRA The man hath seen some majesty, and should know. CHARMIAN Hath he seen majesty? Isis else defend, And serving you so long! CLEOPATRA I have one thing more to ask him yet, good Charmian: But 'tis no matter; thou shalt bring him to me Where I will write. All may be well enough. CHARMIAN I warrant you, madam. When I thought back to the plays, this scene instantly stood out to me because I remember the humor I found in it. Both when reading the book and seeing the play, I found this scene, Act 3, Scene 3 to be very comical. Throughout the summer, we talked a great deal about the role of women in each play, leading me to bringing up this passage. Often times we talked about the lack of power seen in women, and I feel Cleopatra displays some signs of power; therefore, her character intrigued me. I feel that Cleopatra showed agency, because Antony was willing to submit to her. Though she displays some forms of power, she also shows childishness and self-absorption, such as in this scene. Cleopatra was overwhelmingly consumed with Octavia’s looks and age revealing her vanity, creating humor for the reader. Overall, I think Cleopatra is one of strongest women characters and I found her character very interesting, leading me to choosing to bring this scene up for discussion. See you all tonight at dinner!